Quake updates: $4 billion expected for repairs
By 3news.co.nz staff
3news.co.nz continues our coverage of the Canterbury earthquake. Check back here for regular updates. If you have pictures or stories to tell, email them to noles@tv3.co.nz.
See quake photos sent in by Christchurch residents.
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8:34pm Christchurch city residents no longer need to boil water before using.
4:13pm Twenty ACC call centre staff will be flown to Christchurch to help support the Earthquake Commission, ACC Minister Nick Smith announced this afternoon.
Tax assistance
4:08pm Revenue Minister Peter Dunne has announced a number of measures to assist Christchurch residents with their tax issues, as many business owners look to reopen in coming months.
“We want to make things as easy as possible, and Inland Revenue will take a sympathetic and realistic approach with businesses trying to get back on their feet and reopen their doors.”
A special Inland Revenue Disaster Response line has been started up (0800 473 566).
Mr Dunne also announced that quake relief donations over $5 will receive tax credits.
News from Parliament
3:47pm The cost of the Christchurch earthquake to New Zealand will be $4 billion, according to Head of Treasury John Whitehead.
That is made up of $2 billion worth of damage to residential properties and the same again for infrastructure and public buildings.
The sum breaks down to $1000 dollars for every New Zealander.
Civil Defence Minister John Carter has said tremors from the earthquake will last for the next two months.
And Bill English says there have been 30,000 claims to the EQC so far.
3:39pm Relationship Services Whakawhanaungatanga is offering free counselling support for quake victims.
Moira Underdown, Relationship Services Canterbury area manager, says the emotional impact from the quake may not always be felt straight away.
She says the service is set up to assist people immediately and long term.
“Some people need help right now, for others it may be a longer term issue. We will be offering this free counselling service for some time.”
Wet weather
3:22pm Wet conditions are expected to continue in Christchurch over the next three days, according to WeatherWatch.co.nz.
Heavy rain is expected tomorrow afternoon or evening, but sunny conditions are predicted for the weekend.
Heavy rain could highlight further drainage issues in Christchurch, and put a further dampener on damaged houses and cleanup efforts.
3:02pm The Civil Defence has dispelled rumours that a sulphur smell wafting over east Christchurch is the result of a gas leak.
"At this point, there is no indication that the smell should be of concern to residents. It does not appear to be a gas leak," Canterbury Civil Defence emergency management group told NZPA.
2:47pm St John has boosted emergency staff in Christchurch to help cope with the busy work flow following this morning’s aftershocks.
Sixteen ambulances are currently operating in Christchurch, covering central Christchurch, Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Rolleston and Lyttelton.
Staff were also flown in from the North Island.
The ambulance station in St Asaph Street had to be evacuated this morning after it was deemed “structurally unsound”, says Sue Gullery, St John Incident Controller.
Demolition begins
2:36pm A group of buildings on the corner of Manchester and Worcester Street is due to be demolished within the hour.
2:13pm Safety inspections have been completed on all buildings in central Christchurch. Many buildings that were initially considered safe after the weekend's quake had to be reassessed today.
Sixty-nine percent of buildings are now officially considered safe, while the remaining 31 percent have been classified as limited access or unsafe.
Demolition has begun today on 'critical' buildings, according to news websites.
Buildings are still being assessed in badly-hit rural areas such as Kaiapoi.
Relief for quake victims
1:50pm An accommodation website has set up a page dedicated to temporarily housing victims of the weekend’s quake.
The page lets members of the public with spare rooms and couches to post accommodation details, allowing for quake-victims to find temporary housing.
1:21pm Social Welfare Minister Paula Bennett has announced $2.4 million for trauma counselling. Thirty-four counsellors from across the country will be dispatched to Christchurch today, and more will be on their way in time.
Ms Bennett also said there are 5000 unemployed people in Christchurch, of which 1000 had building skills, and 700 experience with diggers and machinery.
11:56am The Lyttelton Tunnel has reopened after engineers completed safety checks ahead of schedule.
The tunnel, which links Christchurch city to Lyttelton Harbour, was closed shortly after this morning’s aftershock at 7:50am.
11:46am RadioLIVE is reporting that Christchurch residents are being warned to avoid lifts in multi-story buildings, following this mornings substantial aftershocks.
11:40am Safety checks are continuing on the Lyttelton Tunnel with the NZ Transport Agency saying a decision on reopening the tunnel will be made early afternoon.
Sulphur smell
11:29am WeatherWatch.co.nz are hearing reports that a strong sulphur smell is drifting across the eastern suburbs of Christchurch.
Residents say the odour is of a similar smell to Rotorua.
New Brighton resident David Shone told WeatherWatch.co.nz the smell had been around since Saturday.
State of emergency
11:07am Christchurch’s State of Emergency has been extended for another seven days until September 15.
10:47am Social development Minister Paula Bennett is due to announce 50 trauma councillors being flown to Christchurch as families begin to feel the strain of coping with the effects of the earthquake.
Thirty-four are coming today, with 16 coming later.
10:37am Christchurch’s Lyttelton Tunnel has been closed this morning while engineers carry out safety checks following this morning’s aftershocks.
Peter Connors, NZ Transport Agency state highways operations manager, says the tunnel may have sustained cracks.
Economic impact
10:29am Figures released today show the Christchurch economy has already sustained significant blows from the weekend’s quake, with trade down by a third of this time last year.
Those hit hardest were stores that would profit most from Father’s Day spending.
Total spending in Christchurch was down a total of 32 percent over the weekend, according to Paymark figures.
Bob Parker: “Stay calm”
10:00am Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker spoke to More FM radio station this morning, saying the continued aftershocks are taking their toll.
Mr Parker says he was in he Civil Defence headquarters when the 5.1 magnitude tremor hit.
“Everybody was just shattered in that moment and a number of people were in tears.”
“We are all on the edge of an emotional chasm here. We’ve got to hold ourselves together and that is the only way we can get through this.”
Listen to the full interview with Bob Parker
Mr Parker is reminding residents to stay off the roads if possible and to avoid panic.
He says the roads need to remain clear for emergency vehicles.
PM visits Kaiapoi
9:26am John Key has been busy visiting rural suburbs around Christchurch this morning, talking to residents and inspecting the damage.
Kaiapoi was among the places visited by Mr Key, who was accompanied by Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson, Civil Defence Minister John Carter, Agriculture Minister David Carter and Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.
Mr Key says the town is badly damaged but things could have been worse.
"It shows you how well the building code works in New Zealand as they had been picked up, ripped apart and yet the structure has survived enough that people could escape," Mr Key told NZPA.
Mr Key plans to return to Christchurch this Saturday and says he will make further trips to the quake-stricken city next week.
Large aftershock
8:20am GNS has confirmed the quake struck at 7:49am, and measured 5.1. It might have felt stronger to Christchurch residents, as it was located only 10km to the southeast of the city, at a relatively shallow depth of 6km.
"Very violent," says mayor Bob Parker. "When the hell is this going to stop?"
He says there must have been further damage to buildings, it was that strong.
"It is clearly still a very dangerous situation."
Mairehau resident Kay Musson says she was driving when she felt the 5.1 magnitude aftershock.
“I thought I had a flat tyre,” she says.
Mr Parker says the worst hit areas in Canterbury may not be rebuilt. He told Stuff that the city faces some tough decisions in the coming months.
"If we can actually identify that areas like that are no longer suitable, then some tough decisions have to be made, and they have to be made quickly."
8:16am Christchurch Civil Defence have evacuated their building at the bottom of Colombo St following the strongest aftershock yet. Car alarms and police sirens have filled the air around the CBD.
7:52am A large aftershock has just rattled Christchurch. Residents calling RadioLIVE say it was not as bad as Saturday morning's quake, but one of the strongest since – large enough to knock things off shelves. It lasted around 15-20 seconds.
Early reports say it measured 6 – the largest since Saturday morning's quake. GNS Science is reporting a quake at 7:42am measuring 4.1, at a depth of 5km, but it is believed this is only the first of two.
Civil Defence have reported it at magnitude 6.1. GeoNet is yet to update their site.
3 News reporter Adam Ray is in Christchurch, and says the latest aftershock was really short, sharp and strong.
He says people have started to leave buildings in the CBD and that the power has gone out. Traffic lights are not working.
Power is also out in Burnside.
People speaking to 3 News say they are sick of the aftershocks and just want to get home to their families. There have now been over 100.
Queen’s condolences
7:30am The Queen has sent her condolences and support to Canterbury residents.
7:20am Aftershocks through the night saw more people flock to welfare centres such as Addington Raceway.
7am: Criminals serving community work sentences are being drafted in to help with the clean-up.
6:20am Two powerful earthquakes struck the Pacific Ocean overnight, each measuring 6.4. No tsunami was triggered, and there are no reports of damage.
5:50am Contrary to popular belief, burglaries since the quake are down, but family violence incidents are up.
The Government says it will look at opening up the wage subsidy scheme to businesses with more than 20 employees, if necessary.
There's confusion amongst authorities just when schools will open. Minister of Education Anne Tolley says none will be open until next week, but Civil Defence says some will open tomorrow – in Selwyn and Waimakariri – and others on Thursday.
Meanwhile, farmers are being warned to check their irrigation equipment, as there's a higher-than-average risk of electrocution due to damaged systems.
Farmers tomorrow will be meeting at Darfield School, near the epicentre of the quake, to discuss a recovery process.
4.30am Aftershocks continued to rumble through Canterbury last night as many residents spent their fourth night in welfare shelters.
Prime Minister John Key visited those temporarily housed at Addington Raceway welfare centre yesterday evening. He talked to residents, and even helped out in the kitchen.
Earlier in the day the Government announced a financial package to assist workers who are not being paid due to businesses in Christchurch being closed.
Companies with less than 20 employees can receive $350 a week per employee for the next four weeks. This is estimated to affect 2000 to 5000 companies in the region.
The first payment will be available on Thursday and be backdated to Saturday. If 10,000 employees apply for this, it will cost $14 million.
See a map of where exactly the quake hit, and what suburbs were damaged
While it was announced some schools around Christchurch may be open before the end of the week, pending safety checks, others school closures were extended into next week.
The historic MLC building, once New Zealand's tallest structure, won a last-minute reprieve from being demolished yesterday.
It was due to be brought down along with Cecil House on Manchester Street, but its owner has persuaded the council to wait.
3 News